


A Kiss Is But A Kiss

by respoftw



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Kissing, M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-15
Updated: 2015-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 17:46:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,188
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3177847
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alien drug that can identify your soulmate?  Yeah, this isn't going to end well......</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Kiss Is But A Kiss

“So, this vial will determine if you are compatible with someone?” Mack was confused.

The entire team were lounging in the common room, enjoying the quiet after the crazy that was their last mission. The mission that had brought the aforementioned vial into the hands of S.H.I.E.L.D

The latest atmospheric event to come across their radars did not bring with it Asgardians but a new breed of alien that they hadn't met before: the Katrallans. Everyone had suited up and prepared for the worst. After Loki and the Chitauri no-one was taking any chances on an unknown alien race just dropping by to say “Hi!”.

After all, Mack thought, they can't all be Thor. Thor may not have been Mack's usual type (he preferred his men a bit smaller and leaner, a bit smarter, with shorter hair, maybe curly?) but he certainly wouldn't kick him out of bed. Mack was pretty sure even the straightest man on the planet was sexually attracted to Thor. 

As it turned out though the Katrallan visitors were, in fact, here to say “HI!”. Apparently there was an aeons long feud between Katralla and Asgard and they wanted to know what all the fuss of the small blue and green planet was. Mack chuckled to himself as he remembered Agent May's face when she realised that instead of kicking ass she was expected to introduce an alien being to the delights of Earth. 

Evidently they had been successful in making an impression on the Katrallans (it could have been the mini golf) as they had gifted the team with approximately one thousand vials of a mysterious liquid before they left with the promise to maintain contact. A liquid that could supposedly help someone find out if they were compatible with their chosen mate. Yeah, Mack was confused.

“Apparently so”, Jemma answered. The young scientist sounded completely fascinated with the liquid. “According to the Katrallans if you and your chosen partner take a drop from the vial you will be able to tell if you are suitable for each other. And not just biologically, supposedly the liquid determines compatibility on multiple levels. Biologically, yes, but also spiritually, emotionally and mentally. In essence it can tell you if you've found your soulmate! It's absolutely thrilling!”

Mack saw a couple of the team roll their eyes at the idea of soulmates but personally he has always liked the idea that there was someone, on this planet or another, that would complete you. (Damn, he had to stop letting Bobbi sucker him into watching Jerry Maguire.)

“So, how does it work exactly? How do you test it?”, Skye sounded enchanted by the idea.

“Well....”, Jemma cleared her throat. “You use the vial and put a drop on your tongue, your chosen partner puts a drop on their tongue and then you, um, you bring your tongues together to meet. Allegedly the effect is instantaneous.”

The team started to crack up. “Hold up, hold up”, Hunter managed. “You mean that you have to snog?!”

“Well, not really – a touch of the tongues should do it” Jemma tried to bring the subject matter back to science but gave up at the amused faces. “All right, yes. You snog.”

Hunter clapped his hand as he stood up abruptly. “That's settled then. Spin the Bottle. Now. Everyone. Let's see if we have any soulmates in the room.”

Mack groaned inwardly as he saw Bobbi smile gently as she looked at Hunter. Oh boy, this had the potential to go so wrong.

Mack glanced around the rest of the team to see how they were reacting to this suggestion. Skye and Hunter were both clearly up for it. Skye was already clearing a space in the middle of the floor, moving half empty pizza boxes aside as Hunter sourced an empty glass bottle from the recycling centre.

Bobbi was leaning forward on the couch, trying and failing to hide her interest. Jemma looked apprehensive but Mack knew that she would cave seeing as Skye and Bobbi were both so obviously on board.

Director Coulson and Agent May were already making a hasty exit from the room. “I think that's our cue to leave the kids to it, May”. Mack could have sworn he heard Agent May whisper that it was ok, she had a vial in her pocket as they retreated to the hall but that could have been the beer making him hear things. He hoped.

That just left one person to check on. The person that Mack had been avoiding making eye contact with since the subject of soulmates came up lest his face give his hope away. 

Fitz. 

Mack was surprised that the engineer had joined them tonight. He was doing much better at joining in but when they all gathered together it usually got a bit overwhelming for Fitz. Maybe the team bonding caused by the Katrallan visit did some good. Mack still remembered the joy in the Scotsmans eyes during the laser tag “mission”.

Fitz was wringing his hands, clearly uncertain about the direction things were heading. Mack walked over to talk to him. “Hey, Turbo. If you don't want to do this then we can leave. Just head back to the garage – maybe look over those calculations for the engine --”

“Oh no – Fitz, Mack, you guys have to play. Then we'll have three guys and three girls – it'll be much better! Otherwise it's just the three of us and Hunter!” Skye pleaded.

“W-well....I can't very well leave you three women to deal with Hunter alone. That would be.........um....not acting like a gentleman.” Fitz gave Mack a small smile as if to say thanks for trying as he joined the circle on the floor.

Mack sighed and followed him. No way was this ending well. 

“Ok, so I'll start and then we'll go clockwise round the circle so everyone gets a chance to spin.” Jemma was suddenly taking charge. That meant Jemma, then Hunter, Mack, Bobbi, Skye and finally Fitz.

“Played Spin the Bottle a lot?” Bobbi teased.

“Yes, well – I am an English public school survivor.” Jemma propped herself up on her knees as she spun the bottle in the middle of the circle.

Mack's heart was in his throat as he suddenly realised that he might have to watch Fitz kiss someone else. Thankfully the bottle slowed to a stop in front of Skye.

Hunter leered as he rubbed his hands together from where he sat between Jemma and Mack. Mack nudged him with his shoulder, nearly knocking the slighter man over. “Not cool man”, Mack cautioned.

“Are we doing boy girl only or just going with where the bottle lands?” Skye frowned.

Jemma giggled, “You clearly haven't played this much. Come here girly.”

Mack raised his eyebrows in disbelief as he watched Jemma Simmons turn into a sex kitten as she coyly dropped a dot of the liquid on her tongue and passed the vial to Skye. Skye shrugged happily as she took the vial “Hell, I'm game!” 

Mack leaned over to cover Hunters eyes as the two young women engaged in some very enthusiastic tonsil hockey. “Oy, get off – I'm missing the action” Hunter laughed as he tried to pull Mack's hand off.

“Aww”, Skye pouted as she pulled back. “I don't think we're soul mates.”

“Hmm, yes. That was very nice but I didn't feel anything special.” Jemma sighed. 

“How do we know what it's supposed to feel like when you are compatible?” Bobbi questioned.

“I'm not entirely sure. The Katrallans just said it would be obvious. Anyway, Hunter you're up!” Jemma handed the bottle over to her countryman.

“Good luck ladies”, Hunter winked as he spun.

Of course it was landed on Bobbi. Mack knew this was going to happen. He wasn't sure if the couple were on again or off again at the moment but Mack was a long-term audience member in their dance and knew deep down that although the couple loved each other passionately they just didn't work together. From the look on Bobbi's face though she wasn't quite so sure of this fact. Mack hoped that he was wrong. He didn't want to see the hope on his friends face shatter.

Hunter and Bobbi met in the middle of the circle, took their drops and kissed. The kiss was desparate, like they were both trying to prove something. As they parted Mack saw the moment of sorrow on Bobbi's face before she slapped her blank Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D expression down.

“Nothing”, she matter of factly stated.

“Yeah, nothing”, Hunter echoed quietly.

Jemma looked panicked between the two of them. “Well, we can't be sure it even works on humans”, she attempted.

“Save it, Jem. We all heard the Katrallans say it would. It's fine.” Hunter cleared his throat as he passed the bottle to Mack. “C'mon big man.”

Mack tried to catch Bobbi's eyes to offer some comfort but the agent's mask didn't look like it was coming up any time soon.

So with a sigh, Mack spun the bottle.

Mack was simultaneously wishing that it would land on Fitz while praying that it would land on anybody but Fitz. It was the worst kept secret on the base that Alphonso Mackenzie was head over heels for Dr Leopold Fitz but he had never been able to muster the courage to tell the younger man.

Well, it looked like his wishes were granted.

Skye stifled a squeal as the bottle stopped squarely in front of Fitz.

Mack chanced a look over the circle at Fitz. 

Fitz was frozen. The colour started to drain from his face as he backed up onto his heels. “I'm sorry. I can't. Mack. I can't. I'm sorry.”

Mack could only stare in horror as Fitz clambered to his feet, stumbling in his haste to get away.

“Fitz”, Jemma made to follow her friend but Fitz was already gone, fleeing to his room.

“I think we should probably call it a night”, Skye started to pack up the vials.

Mack tried to avoid the apologetic glances as he agreed. “Yeah, early start tomorrow. I'll see you all later.”

* * * * * * * 

It was three days since the debacle of Spin the Bottle. Bobbi and Hunter had apparently come to the decision that they weren't going to let an alien vial decide things for them and were on again.

Mack hoped for both their sakes that it worked out this time.

He had been keeping himself busy in the garage for the past three days. Fitz hadn't shown up once. In fact, Mack hadn't seen him since that night. It was the longest he had gone without being in the smaller man's company and Mack was shocked at how deeply he missed him.

So it was unexpected when Fitz dropped by the garage that night when Mack was working late. Fitz was walking towards him with a determined look on his face. Mack gulped when he saw that Fitz was holding out one of the vials. He searched Fitz's face as the two stood facing each other, silent. 

Seeing what he needed to, Mack nodded slightly as he took the vial from Fitz and dropped a dot of liquid onto his tongue. He reached out with the dropper towards Fitz who kept looking directly in his eyes. Fitz opened his mouth and let his tongue show as Mack dropped some liquid into the pink mouth.

Mack stoppered the vial again as they kept looking at each other, still not having spoken a word. Time seemed to stop before Mack saw Fitz start to move forward tentatively. Following his lead, Mack leaned in towards the other man and their eyes made contact one last time before their tongues touched. Just a touch was all that was needed according to Jemma. She was right.

Pictures and visions started darting through Mack's head. Visions of him and Fitz laughing, fighting, crying, kissing, making love. Visions of the two of them growing old together – Fitz losing his hair and Mack gaining a paunch. Visions of children shrieking with joy on Christmas morning as they both grinned excitedly. Visions of love, visions of life.

Their tongues parted as they stared in wonder at each other. Without a word they met again, a proper kiss this time. A kiss that took Mack's breath away. Fitz tasted of cinammon and honey. His mouth was warm and wet and perfect as they lost themselves in each other. Lips parted to allow tongues access. Mack hummed in pleasure as Fitz pulled him closer.

After what seemed like an eternity and all too soon they pulled apart. Fitz started to back away silently and Mack let him go. He didn't need to worry about Fitz running away – not now that the vial had filled him with the surety that they were meant to be together. He saw Fitz smile as he turned and left the garage as silently as he had come.

Mack smiled to himself as he went back to his engine. 

Soulmates.

**Author's Note:**

> The main idea for this fic was borrowed/adapted/inspired by an episode of the utterly fantastic Australian sci-fi show Farscape. 
> 
> Title is from the episode. 
> 
> Come find me on tumblr: fitzheartmack - I'm accepting short prompts if anyone is interested.


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